My cat swallowed a bird. Why is he lethargic and off his food?

Poor Ekko! These signs can be caused by an obstruction (especially if he ingested bones and feathers) or a toxicity (perhaps something that the bird had eaten or made the bird sick). I recommend having Ekko seen by a vet as soon as possible to figure out what is going on and begin the appropriate treatment.

I would recommend taking him in tomorrow just for a checkup since it sounds like that is a possibility. They may take an x-ray to make sure nothing looks abnormal. he could just be nauseous from eating something weird (the bird), but anytime there's gagging I think a checkup is warranted

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend that you monitor her for signs of a gastrointestinal obstruction such as vomiting, nausea and/or abdominal pain. If any of these are observed, have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Otherwise, she could be just fine. Have a great day!

Hello, sorry to hear about Lillo. Its hard to tell what is going on with him. I would expect him to have a dietary indiscretion if he had eaten a rat. You may see vomiting and diarrhea associated with this, and yes some lethargy but not necessarily lethargy alone. I would recommend having him evaluated by a veterinarian if he continues to be lethargic and is not drinking or eating at all. Hope this helps.

What you are describing does fit with an intestinal obstruction. The only other thing that we also commonly see is vomiting. The most concerning thing is that you report that he is acting extremely lethargic. Cats are very good at hiding their pain, so when they get this depressed, it indicates a severe problem. If you also think that he may have eaten a small toy, then I would recommend taking him to the vet as soon as possible. It would be less concerning if he was still active and eating, but a bowel obstruction can cause severe pain and quickly lead to life-threatening complications. I hope that helps and Binx gets better soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, he should see a veterinarian. He may not be eating due to dietary indiscretion from eating the bird or mouse or it could even be due to a gastrointestinal obstruction. I am afraid that if he is not drinking water he may be becoming dehydrated. They would be able to check for these possibilities and most importantly start him on medications to make him feel better. Good luck and have a great day!

Hello, and thanks for your question about Luna. This history concerns me - I start to get concerned any time a cat skips more than 1 meal, and if Luna is also lethargic and with the history of eating foreign objects, my concern for a foreign body / GI obstruction is very high. I recommend having Luna seen by your vet as soon as possible. Even if they don't think it's necessary to take her to surgery, helping her stay hydrated can do wonders for helping foreign material pass successfully through the GI tract! Hope this helps, and all the best to you and Luna!